Jack at Laurence Olivier's funeral

Yes, they did know each other! Which is awesome. In 1973, Jack starred in a TV version of The Entertainer (1973) as Archie Rice, to which I think Laurence starred in originally. Laurence was one of Jack's favourite actors. I remember reading somewhere that Jack was pleasantly surprised when he first met Laurence when Laurence had told him that he had followed a lot of his television work, so in my estimation, I'd say they met 1955/6 time.

Not sure if you've seen Irma La Douce (1963), but there's a reference to Laurence from Jack, where he gets his surname wrong. The line was: "What a performance! Like Sir Laurence Oliver!" and then he's corrected with "That's Laurence Olivier!"

I also believe he was at Laurence's funeral. I did have a photo somewhere.
I have this one here at the 1976 Oscars.

http://i55.tinypic.com/20jl8go.jpg
Jack is at the top left and Laurence is on the second row next to Ginger Rogers, I think that is.


Marilyn Monroe: I don't want to be rich. I just want to be wonderful.

That's a great photo, and yes that's Ginger Rogers next to Olivier. I remember that great line as well.

You can see Jack Lemmon at Olivier's memorial service on youtube. Just type in 'Laurence Olivier's memorial service' and Jack appears at 3.43

Thanks for the information.

^Why am I only seeing this now?! Thank you - I'll search for that.


Marilyn Monroe: I don't want to be rich. I just want to be wonderful.

Did you see it? Did Jack fly to England just for Olivier's funeral or did he just happen to be in England at the time?

Yes I did manage to see it! Thanks for letting me know as I wouldn't have noticed it before. I would assume he flew over especially for the service.


Marilyn Monroe: I don't want to be rich. I just want to be wonderful.

I recently found two other things that put Lemmon and Olivier together. Here is Laurence Olivier receiving the Cecil B. DeMille award in 1983 at the Golden Globes. Jack is in the audience (watch how Olivier accidentally breaks his award, but see his charm as he laughs it off).


The award is presented by Dustin Hoffman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36zIvUmqVpk



But here is the best one. Laurence Olivier announces the Best Picture Award at the Oscars in 1985. Jack introduces Olivier. Sadly, Olivier was not feeling well, and had been ill since 1967. Here he forgets to name the best picture nominees. But we all forgive him because he is Laurence Olivier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKyMQEaEcsM

BTW: About that photograph with Olivier, Lemmon, Matthau, Rogers etc, what was the occasion? It looks like they got past winners there to pose together.

Thank you! I've never seen the second video before! I loved watching that especially and of course, the other. I knew that Jack admired him very much as an actor and it shows. Thanks metalman for finding that clip.

The photograph, I believe, was the 1977 Academy Awards (I might be wrong on the ceremony there but it certainly looks like it) but I can definitely confirm the year was either 1976 or 1977 anyway because those were the only years that Jack had a moustache. I think perhaps this group photo was of the presenters as they all appear to be holding an Oscar each.


Marilyn Monroe: I don't want to be rich. I just want to be wonderful.

It's confusing. According to IMDb, Laurence Olivier appeared at the Oscar's four times (1940, 1959, 1979 and 1985), but maybe IMDb is wrong. There have been a few times when Olivier's travels to Hollywood have gone unmentioned, maybe this is one of those times. Hell, I never knew about Olivier's Golden Globe Award until a few weeks ago, so who knows?